The corona commander returns fire: "I do not understand what many are talking about - for them to come for two days, catch up and go home?" • "Many experts think I'm crazy that I even allowed the education system to open with about 2,000 contagious per day" • On the disagreements with the ministers: "Everyone except me would have gotten up and gone"
The Corona Commissioner, Prof. Roni Gamzo, held a weekly briefing today (Monday), in light of the controversy over the "traffic light plan" for dealing with the Corona epidemic. The model was approved last night by the Corona Cabinet, and is expected to take effect on September 6.
From the Facebook page of the Local Government Center in Israel
"There is a certain increase in morbidity in the State of Israel, it is no secret," Prof. Gamzo said in his opening remarks. "This is not an increase that requires a loss of temper or panic. We need to look deeply at the changes and understand them. In the general population, the situation is quite stable, and most of the increase in morbidity is in Arab society.
"Unfortunately, Hebrew society has risen from 150 new patients a day to more than 600 per day and that is very disturbing. It started in Eid al-Adha, and the outbreak is widespread: from Rahat in the south, through East Jerusalem and also in the center and north of the country." Gamzo made it clear that the heads of the authorities are working closely with him.
The commissioner then said of the traffic light plan, which is expected to take effect in about a week: "The traffic light is a message to the public and the heads of local authorities and the leadership - you are responsible for what happens to you. At the same time someone takes off a mask, makes an illegal wedding or does not follow the rules Not just about yourself but also about the color of your city. "
He said, "Orange and red are the same color for me, because they constitute a high level of morbidity. Beyond the limitations that exist here, it is our duty to impose additional restrictions. If a city is red, it makes no sense to open the education system. There is no situation without a verified case. "This is and continues to be the case. We are still in dialogue to solve this problem. In Israel, at this level of morbidity, there is no need to insist on an education system in red cities."
On the fact that the cabinet did not accept his recommendation: "Most of the time they do not disagree with me. Sometimes the necessary need to decide for themselves arises by saying that we are the ministers and we take responsibility. I say here out of respect for ministers, sometimes you do not have all the professional tools. "I don't have any. I sit with a lot of experts and hear a lot of opinions. And before I get to you, I did an adaptation of all the opinions. Everybody other than me would get up and go."
"I do not fight for my place. At the end of the day, you can always resign. But I came to this position to help the State of Israel with an emphasis on the citizens of the State of Israel. I want to continue to face all the difficulties and lead to the right place."
On the statement of Prof. Gabi Barbash, who would have resigned three times if he had been in his place: "In the end, most of my outlines, almost all, were accepted. Studies in red cities as well - I do not believe that the Ministry of Education will do that and open the school year as usual. I will accept my opinion on this matter. "
"I do not understand what many are talking about? For coming for two or three days, will they stick together and go home? In this context of resigning, they ask me about this, briefing after briefing. "There are difficult and unpleasant decisions. The decisions will sometimes cause anger in one population or another. But this struggle obliges us as leaders to make complex and difficult decisions."